


if you're looking for traditions maybe you should check under the tree

by namedawesome (davethetennant)



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, F/M, Tumblr: TheDeckerstarNetwork, its cute guys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-27 06:01:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17156567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/davethetennant/pseuds/namedawesome
Summary: “So, Lucifer,” Chloe started, “I was wondering, or really… Trixie was, but would you like to come over today? I think Trix wanted some help baking sugar cookies and decided you were it…”Lucifer preened, and said, “Of course, I will, darling. What time am I expected?”





	if you're looking for traditions maybe you should check under the tree

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DifferenceEngineGirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DifferenceEngineGirl/gifts).



> Hope you enjoy this! Happy holidays!

Chloe was waiting for Lucifer to show up at the precinct. She was on strict orders from her daughter to invite Lucifer over today to participate in making cookies with them for her class’s Christmas celebration since Dan was out of town at a conference. When she’d asked Trixie why she wanted to invite Lucifer over, the little girl just said that Lucifer was good at baking (“Don’t you remember the chocolate cake he made us? It was the best chocolate cake ever!”). So, Chloe sat and waited for Lucifer to show up after his usual appointment with Linda. And show up he did, with a coffee in each hand and a flirty smirk for anyone who looked his way. Well, except when he caught her eyes, because his smile changed drastically. It went from a smirk to a genuine smile, softening around his eyes and mouth. He placed one of the coffee cups on her desk with a gentle smile and a bow of his head. She smiled back and took a sip of coffee, it was her favorite. 

“So, Lucifer,” Chloe started, “I was wondering, or really… Trixie was, but would you like to come over today? I think Trix wanted some help baking sugar cookies and decided you were it…”

Lucifer preened, and said, “Of course, I will, darling. What time am I expected?”

She gave him the time and told him that they were only doing paperwork today, and they he could leave if he wanted to. He just gave her a soft smirk and went to join Ella in her lab, just to catch up it seemed. He didn’t leave, but milled around, and at some point he came back to her desk and actually voluntarily pulled out a fancy fountain pen and grabbed some paperwork. She stared at him in shock and smiled at him as he glanced at her when he felt her eyes on him.

He followed her home, playfully trying to get her to race him (he knew she wouldn’t, but the fond shake of her head was always worth the effort). He pulled in next to her and met her by the door. She smirked as she opened the door, and Lucifer was confused until Trixie rushed at him. She wrapped her arms around his waist with a shout of his name (“Lucifer! Lucifer! Lucifer!”). 

“I missed you, Lucifer!” the little girl told him with a big grin. She refused to let go of his waist until he patted her head. 

Chloe dealt with the babysitter, half an ear on the conversation going on between her daughter and the man she was fond of (in like a not at all romantic way, at all, nope not her… but then she made the mistake of meeting his eyes over her daughter’s head and just… that wasn’t at all fair). They were talking about sugar cookie recipes, and Lucifer was telling her little girl which one was best. She saw Trixie showing him her Christmas cookie cutters and saw him dismiss the angel shaped one. She was about to interrupt them when she heard him say something about St. Nicholas and history. 

When the babysitter had finally left, she came back to the kitchen to see Lucifer already helping her daughter mixing the wet ingredients together. He was in charge of pouring the flour into the wet ingredients until it got too thick for the little girl to manage anymore. With him there, the whole process seemed to go easier, seemed less stressful. 

(Usually it’s just her, and the whole thing was originally Dan’s idea, and he never helped, because he was so focused on his career, the last two years he’d helped a little, but it usually didn’t go that easily, and there were always more than a few frustrations.)

Chloe came up next to them as they stared rolling out the dough. Lucifer was explaining how the thickness of the cookie dough effected the taste of the cookies just as much as the ingredients. Chloe was just glad she didn’t have to make the dough because it was her least favorite part. They cut their cookies, Lucifer sticking to the less religious cookie cutters. Trixie placed all the cookies very carefully on the cookie sheets and then, when they were put in the oven, sat in front of it and watched them bake.

Chloe tucked close into Lucifer’s side and said, “Thanks for this… If you weren’t here to help, it would be so chaotic right now.” When he raised a brow at her in question, she told him, “Well, Dan would be making everything so much more complicated, by arguing about the cookie recipe even though we use the same one each year! He just forgets, and then he won’t let Trixie mix the flour in. Basically, she only gets to use the cookie cutters, but thank you for letting her try mixing it, she’s very excited, and I think you might have made her day.”

“Mixing is the best part, everyone should get to,” he told her. Trixie interrupted them with a gasp and told them that the cookies were rising, and Chloe grinned at her daughters enthusiasm. 

Chloe was surprised that she had to remind the both of them that the cookies had to cool before they iced them. Which reminded Lucifer that they had to make the icing, and Chloe told him she had some store bought icing. He looked at her like she’d suggested spending time in a ball bit with extremely snotty children, so she just raised her hands in surrender. So, she watched as Lucifer taught her daughter to make royal icing, in almost every color. 

Lucifer had wanted to be in charge of the Santa shaped cookies, but Chloe had seen the mischievous gleam in his eyes, so she had to take over, because she knew he would’ve made them crude. Which would’ve been bad, because these were going to Trixie’s school. This year, Trixie had skipped out on the angel shaped cookie cutter, which used to be her favorite. Lucifer was in charge of the Christmas tree shapes and Trixie decided she wanted to do the snowflakes. She knew her daughter would take forever trying to make those ‘perfect’, so she split the candy cane shapes between herself and Lucifer.

It was surprisingly fun, decorating cookies with Lucifer. He kept any and all jokes about the shape of candy canes not to himself, exactly, but he kept them where they would completely float over Trixie’s head. She was glad that Dan was at his conference this week, that she got to do this with Lucifer and Trixie. She knew that he’d been feeling a little left out after she’d gone through her adjustment period, now that she knew who he really was. She was glad that they could still do this, still spend time together. Spending time with him now felt almost like it used to (and she was reminded, suddenly, by their game night, which felt like such a long time ago). 

×××

Dan was still out of town, and the next time she asked him to join them, it was to pick out a tree. She knew he was confused, that he wasn’t sure what her asking him these things meant, but she was too afraid to tell him that it was because she wanted to spend time with her two favorite people. So she invited him to come with them to pick out their tree and, if she could convince him, help put it up too.

So, when she pulled into a parking space, with Lucifer in the passenger seat and Trixie talking their ears off about how amazing the tree is going to look this year, she made sure that she smiled at him. She saw him frown, and his head tilted adorably, like he wasn’t sure why he was here. And maybe he wasn’t… Maybe he didn’t want to be here… and suddenly she felt like maybe she should apologize for asking him to come along. 

“Spawn, I don’t think a fifteen foot tree will fit in your mother’s apartment…” he said, and really she should’ve realized he was frowning at Trixie who had captured his hand and refused to let go even as he tried very hard to shake her off. 

“More like six or seven feet tall, Monkey,” she said, her smile back in place, but this time much fonder. “So, think Lucifer’s height, okay?”

“Lucifer’s the same height as a Christmas tree?” Trixie’s eyes went wide, and she stared at Lucifer in wonder. He looked between the two of them warily, but Chloe nodded, and Trixie just whispered the word ‘wow’ like she couldn’t really believe it.

She let Trixie lead them through the trees while she and Lucifer trailed behind. He was keeping a sharp eye on Trixie, like he was afraid she was going to disappear, and more than once he called her back to them, when he felt she’d gone too far. Chloe just let him, even though she knew her daughter was pretty safe. She liked knowing that he cared for her family, even though he would never admit it. 

Trixie had him stand next to a few trees to determine their height and was always pleasantly surprised when they were shorter than him. She was giggling and grinning at her mother, which made her smile. Chloe caught Lucifer staring at her, and she gave him an inquisitive look. When he just looked down at his hands she smiled at him fondly. 

Trixie had Lucifer stand between two trees and squinted very hard at them. “Mommy, which one?” she asked, and furrow between her brows. 

Chloe considered the two trees, circling them to see all sides and also, slyly checking out Lucifer’s ass in the tight dress pants he wore. Both of the trees looked good. So did his ass, but she was here with her daughter and she really should focus on the trees and not the man she was in lo- 

She needed to focus on the trees.

She pointed to the right of Lucifer and looked at her daughter, brows raised and a question in her eyes. Trixie grinned and nodded excitedly. Chloe told Trixie to stay here with Lucifer while she found someone to help them bring the tree to the car. She came back to see Trixie hanging off of Lucifer’s arm with her legs about six inches off the ground. She laughed as Trixie’s grip failed and told the man with the saw which tree she wanted. 

They had it tied to the roof of her car, lying on a blanket, and they were about get in the car when Lucifer came back from wherever he’d wandered and passed both her and Trixie steaming cups of cider. Trixie grinned and thanked him, drinking the warm cider happily, and munching at the freshly made mini donuts he’d acquired from the stand by the entrance. 

“Thank you, Lucifer,” Chloe told him in a gentle voice. Tentatively, she leaned against him. She knew he wasn’t one for touching those he was close to, but it seemed like he liked this, her leaning on him. 

He relaxed against her after a moment, she hadn’t realized that he was tense. He let one of his arms come around her and his hand settled at her waist. They watched her daughter dance around in the grassy spot near the car as they finished their cider. She didn’t want to leave his side, but she knew if they didn’t get the tree put up tonight she might be too busy to put in up later. So, she forced herself away from him and called Trixie back to the car. She wanted him to keep spending time with them. Perhaps she would ask him to help them decorate the tree… or maybe she could come to the dinner she had every Christmas eve…

Or… she could… no, she would. She would invite him to both.

(When they put the tree in the tree stand, it was a leaning a little to the left, only really noticeable if they stared at it for too long. Dan would’ve made them try and fix it but Chloe was glad that it was up and it had been a long day and when Trixie told them it was leaning after they’d spent about twenty minutes trying to get it straight, they just looked at each other and it was decided: they weren’t fixing it, it was too much effort. So it leaned to the left just a little bit, and it was perfect anyway because she was with her two favorite people and wasn’t that the only thing that mattered? She placed a soft, lingering kiss to Lucifer’s cheek as he walked out the door, and she could’ve sworn that he blushed, but she couldn’t be sure…)

×××

She asked him over three days later, in the middle of a frustrating case that made her want to tear her hair out. For the past two days he’d been the only thing stopping her from losing it at anyone who asked how she was or when they kept hitting dead ends. He assumed it was to talk about the case and told her that she really should rest, and perhaps it would unwind her mind, just a little. She gave him a fond smile and placed her hand on his bicep (and wow, that was a bicep, right there, and it was all she could do not to squeeze his arm in appreciation). She shook her head and told him, “Trix and I were going to decorate the tree today and were wondering if you’d like to help.”

He blinked at her, like he couldn’t quite believe she was requesting his presence outside of work again. He agreed and told her he’d follow her home after work. She offered him a smile and then, accidentally, allowed her hand to squeeze his bicep (and oh boy, if that wasn’t just… it was a great bicep. A great bicep. Absolutely superb) and she turned away quickly to hide her blush. He had seen it, of course, and smirked at her. So, when they were leaving the precinct, he offered her his arm as any gentleman would do, but he was smirking at her. “Hold it good and tight darling, give it a squeeze whenever you’d like,” he told her, and she’d groaned and buried her face in her hand (but she didn’t let go of his arm, not even as he chuckled at her red face).

The babysitter seemed grateful to be relieved a little earlier than normal, but Chloe had just wanted to get out of the precinct. She wanted to lose herself in the joy of decorating the tree and hot chocolate and Lucifer and Trixie. 

Lucifer was accosted by Trixie as they walked through the door and that made her mood just a little lighter, so she asked them if they should order Chinese or Pizza for before they started decorating the tree.

“Pizza!” Trixie shouted, and she refused to let go of Lucifer’s leg, going so far as to sit on his foot. He took it well, just huffed, rolled his eyes, and continued walking towards the kitchen unimpeded. Trixie was giggling and refused to let him go, telling him she was having fun. At the look on his face, Chloe chuckled at him.

Eventually, she managed to convince Trixie that this was probably not the best way to play with Lucifer, but she couldn’t hide the fact that she thought it was adorable (so what she really succeeded in doing was convincing her daughter to do it the next time he was coming over, and every time after that). But more than anything, it was the fact that the pizza had arrived that she even let go. Lucifer seemed a little taken aback by the excited little girl, and Chloe made sure he knew that she was excited because they were going to be decorating the tree. “It’s always been her favorite tradition of ours,” she told him as she made Trixie go wash her hands. 

“And you’ve asked me to fill in for Daniel since he’s not here?” he asked like it wasn’t a question, but confirmation. He wasn’t offended, it seemed, but it broke her heart just a little bit to know he thought he wasn’t important to her. She scolded herself for not inviting him along before now. 

“Lucifer, no, you’re not filling in for anyone,” she told him softly. “I want you here, we both want you here… I asked you to come spend time with us because I missed you.” She paused. “I-I know that I didn’t… that when I learned the truth I took some time, but that was… Lucifer, you’re my best friend and I… I missed you and I know that was my fault…”

“Detective,” he interrupted, voice gentle and fond, “none of this is your fault, darling.”

She looked away from him, her cheeks pink, and saw that Trixie was watching them from the hall with a small smile on her face, like she was waiting for something to happen. “Come on, Monkey, pizza!” she called. She passed everyone a plate and ushered them to the table to eat. After a moment, she caught herself thinking about their case, and her brow furrowed, trying to find a way to solve it, to get around their block.

Lucifer must have seen the look on her face because he reached over and put his hand on her arm. She looked up at him, and he just gave her a small, fleeting smile, a reassurance that they would find their killer, that they could do it. She smiled at him and he gave her a shy one back. Chloe focused on the steady chatter that her daughter was supplying. That of course, led to the plan her daughter had for the tree (it was always the same, “Mommy has to do the lights, because Daddy always doesn’t listen to her, and then I get to do the lower branches until it’s time to do the star! Lucifer, you’re gonna have to help me with that because I’m too short to reach!”). 

Lucifer raised a brow at that, but he didn’t say he wouldn’t help her which made Chloe feel a little better about just commandeering him for Christmas decorating. Lucifer proved to be better at stringing lights than Dan, mostly because he knew exactly what she meant without having to ask for clarification and followed her directions to the letter. Trixie helped untangle the lights and explained the meaning of some of the ornaments to Lucifer (ranging from “When mom was my age…” to “I made that in kindergarten!”). 

They decorated their tree, Lucifer treating every ornament he was handed like it was a precious treasure, especially the ones with a story behind them. He was gentle with them and when it was finally time to put the star on the tree, he picked up her daughter in the same way. She wasn’t foolish enough to think that he would stop calling her ‘spawn’ and ‘urchin’ but it was sweet and it made her smile at him. When they were done, Trixie made them sit on the couch with all the lights off and look at the tree while drinking hot chocolate. Lucifer was in the corner of the couch, Chloe was leaning against him, and Trixie was leaning against her. It felt like it used to, when Trixie was a baby and they were only worried about being a family. It was different, of course, because it was Lucifer and she fit against him, into the curve of his shoulder, better than she ever had with Dan (and that was something her mother had told her after her father had died, “Chloe, babe, find a man you fit with. Not just emotionally and spiritually… I’ll never find another man who’s arm I fit under like I did your father’s…”). And she loved Dan, she did, but this… this was different. This was fitting together like she imagined her mom fitting with her dad.

When Trixie fell asleep against her, and when she was yawning almost non-stop, Lucifer picked up her daughter and practically dumped her into her bed (but gently, like he’d treated her the whole night). And then, he kissed her cheek as he left, smoothing her hair behind her ear and lingering just a little longer than necessary, but she was sleepy and happy, so she tried not to let it go to her head (it did, and she fell asleep thinking about it, about being happy and maybe one day they’d linger in each other’s space for a different reason, and hopefully it would be soon…).

×××

Three days later, and with their frustrating case closed, Dan was back. He’d come by the house to pick Trixie up, and had stared at the tree. He knew better than to say anything in front of Trixie who was telling him that their tree was “perfect” and “look Daddy it’s the same height as Lucifer, isn’t that cool!”. 

So when Dan came into the precinct the morning after that, he told her, right in front of Lucifer (which was a bad idea, because as much as it seemed like he was unflappable, he was sensitive and always second guessing himself, especially now that she knew), “You know, I can come and fix the tree, C’lo. It’s leaning a little to the left.”

“No,” Chloe replied. She stared at Dan for a long moment, but then her gaze shifted to Lucifer. “I think it’s perfect…” Lucifer smiled at her shyly and looked down at his hands. She knew she made the right choice at that moment.

×××

She’d been nervous about inviting him to her Christmas dinner, been nervous about inviting everyone but her mother and Dan. But for some reason, inviting Lucifer was especially nerve-wracking. 

Ella had been excited beyond belief and promised to bring some desserts, but Chloe had told her not to worry about it. She knew Ella hadn’t heard her when she asked who was coming. “Just Dan, Linda, Maze, my mom, you, and Lucifer. Trixie too, obviously,” Chloe told her. 

She was nervous right up until the moment she asked Lucifer if he’d like to come. She told him that she wanted him there, because he was family too and Trixie would miss him if he wasn’t there and how she would too, but “…if you don’t want to come you don’t have to, but… I’d really like it if you did…” and she’d looked up at him through her lashes to see him staring at her in awe, like she was the one from heaven and that was… She couldn’t help the small, hopeful smile she sent his way. So he’d said yes, of course he’d said yes and they both smiled at each other like goofballs until Ella told them they were “super cute, keep it up, guys!”

And when Christmas Eve finally came, Dan was there early to ‘help’, which meant that he was setting up bits of mistletoe in every doorway of her apartment. And her mother who had arrived the night before was helping in the kitchen. Lucifer showed up next, promptly surprising Daniel with a deep kiss. At Dan’s dazed expression, Lucifer just playfully pointed up at the mistletoe hanging over their heads, and told him, “I see why the Detective stayed with you for so long, Daniel…” And the way Dan looked like he was regretting the opening the door was really, just, she had to turn away to hide her laughter. 

He entered the kitchen, greeted her mother with his usual charm and a kiss on the cheek, and when he turned to her his whole face softened. “Hello, darling,” he said softly into the skin of her cheek as he placed a gentle kiss there. When he pulled back, he placed two bottles of expensive, but very good wine (she knew because these were two of her favorite brands that he always made sure to have in his penthouse just for her) on the counter beside her. “Need help with anything?” he asked, now pressed as close to her as he could get now that she had turned away from him (and the feeling of him pressed against her back just felt right, and she knew they weren’t alone, and she knew her mother was watching them, but… she let herself lean back into him for just a moment). 

She smiled, and told him no, that they were okay, but if he really wanted to help he could pop the pan she’d just finished working on back into the oven to keep it warm. He did it of course, would do anything for her she knew, she could see that now. And they’d been quietly flirting with each other all week, as well. Ever since she’d said that the tree was perfect, they’d been flirting like that. Gentle and soft and longing, lingering touches, and it was so different from the usual flirting she’d come to expect from any man, but it was theirs and she loved it almost as much as she loved him.

Trixie found out that he’d arrived and caught him in the kitchen doorway, jumping into his arms and planting a giant kiss to his cheek and making Chloe laugh at the face he made as he peeled her away from him and held her at arm’s length. “Mistletoe! Merry Christmas!” she told him with a giggle, and Lucifer tried to hide his smile. 

“Happy Christmas, urchin,” he told her, and settled her on his hip, something no one expected (and Dan gaped at). 

“Do you like my dress?” she asked him, and then she leaned in and whispered loudly, “Daddy said I had to wear it and promised that I could have an extra slice of cake and cookies if I wore it the whole night!”

“Wouldn’t you rather be comfortable?” Lucifer asked. He still wasn’t sure what small humans liked or wanted, but he knew they liked to be comfortable even more than the Detective did.

“Yeah, but cake,” she shrugged at him. And then squirmed until he put her down which was immediately. Not long after that, Linda, Ella, and Maze walked through the door together and Chloe decided that after everyone made it around the room and snagged a drink, it was time for dinner (practically everyone was caught under the mistletoe in a three minute period with each other except for her and Lucifer). 

It wasn’t anything special just a roast chicken with roasted potatoes and so many other sides that she wouldn’t have to make any sides at dinner for at least a week if there were any leftovers. The table was loud and boisterous, and Chloe kept catching Lucifer staring at her with a gentle countenance. She made sure everyone was fed and their drinks were full. She was glad when everyone decided to retire to the living room. She settled back into the couch and was ready to relax when she noticed Dan had practically fallen asleep in the armchair. She was about to get up and start clearing the table, which was what the comatose Dan had promised to do, when Lucifer placed a hand on her arm.

“I’ve got it, darling,” he told her, “rest, you deserve it.” And then he placed the softest of kisses to her temple. Chloe watched him clear the table and bit her lip as he took off his suit jacket, revealing the waist coat underneath. She watched his back as he put the leftovers away and washed some dishes. She noticed that some of their friends’ drinks were getting low, and she was about to get up and refresh them, when Lucifer swept by already on it. She smiled at him as he walked by and as soon as he’d returned Ella’s and Maze’s drinks to them, he made a beeline for her and her mother who were seated on the couch. “Everything alright?” he asked. He knelt in front of her and grabbed her now empty wine glass from her hand. With his other hand, he swept a strand of her hair over her shoulder to sit with the rest of her hair. 

“Perfect,” she told him with a shy grin. “Thank you, Lucifer… for helping…” 

He turned pink and then asked her mother if she’d like a refill as well. She agreed of course, and he didn’t even ask them what they were drinking, he probably knew anyway, just swept off to the kitchen and popped back with their drinks. He placed a kiss to the side of her head before he headed back towards the kitchen. Trixie was trying to reach the cookies that Ella had brought for dessert, and she watched as Lucifer gave her the box and told her to only take two and to pass the rest around. 

Every time Lucifer walked past the couch he was either touching her hair or her shoulder. Once as he walked past, he’d cupped her cheek and placed a kiss to her forehead for seemingly no other reason than that he could. She’d smiled after him at that and accidentally met eyes with her mother as she did.

“So?” Penelope Decker asked, eyebrows raised and face expectant. “What’s the deal there, pumpkin?”

Chloe blushed, and looked down at her wine glass which was now half-full (and Lucifer would be around to refresh it when it got down to a quarter of the way empty). She started to flounder, “I… I mean, nothing… Well, not nothing, but…”

“It’s good, sweets,” her mother said gently, with a small smile. “You two…” She sighed like she was lost in a memory. “He takes care of you…” she sighed again, a little sadly. 

The implication that Lucifer took care of her like her dad used to take care of her mother was… She found it fitting and said, “We fit together…” At her mother’s confused expression, Chloe tried to clarify. “Like you and dad… we fit together…” 

Penelope’s face cleared with surprise, and then she just smiled so big and wide, tears in her eyes. “Oh, pumpkin…” she started, sniffling, “that’s wonderful!”

She hugged her mother and stood. She was feeling lazy and comfortably buzzed and she didn’t really want to drink anymore, but she knew for certain she wanted Lucifer. She found him in the kitchen, the counters and dishes much cleaner that either she or Dan could do. He was pouring himself a drink and she waited by the door for him to turn to her. When he finally turned he offered her a gentle smirk, “Thank you for inviting me tonight, darling...”

She gave him a smile back and offered her hand to him. He let his fingers slide into the gaps between hers and she asked him, “How did you like it? This year, joining us? Our traditions…”

“It was…” he searched her face, his eyes gentle, “amazing…” He said it like it had been better than that, like it had meant more to him than that. 

She smiled up at him and asked, a light blush settled onto her cheeks, “Wanna try one more?” When he tilted his head to the side, she pointed above them at the mistletoe hanging there. He met her eyes and tentatively leaned in towards her, licking his lips like he was nervous. She met him halfway, their eyes closing as their lips met. It was soft and slow and passionate, and it left them both breathless. When they pulled back, they rested their foreheads together and breathed in the comfort of just being with each other. Maybe that could be something they did all year round.

(And if next year, both Lucifer and Daniel were there to put up the tree, then there were no problems. And if Lucifer was the one that cleaned up the table and kitchen on the day of the party the next year, he really didn’t mind, because he knew that when he was done, when he’d just poured himself a drink, Chloe would be at the kitchen doorway staring at him, waiting for him to lean down and kiss her, well… that was perfectly fine with him. Who was the Devil to argue with a long standing tradition?)


End file.
